What an extremely weird thing for Joe Mazzulla to say about Jayson Tatum’s scary fall.
The Boston Celtics opened their 2024 NBA playoffs by absolutely pummeling a shorthanded Miami Heat team, who beat them in last year’s Eastern Conference Finals. But in the late stages of a sure victory, the Celtics almost faced disaster during a key sequence between their franchise player Jayson Tatum and Miami’s Caleb Martin.
With Tatum trying to secure a harmless defensive rebound, Martin accidentally ran into Tatum in mid-air. That led to the Celtics’ star taking what looked like a serious fall on his back and neck.
Fortunately, Tatum got up immediately and appeared to be OK as Boston breathed a huge sigh of relief:
— Celtics on NBC Sports Boston (@NBCSCeltics) April 21, 2024
In the postgame, Celtics head coach Joe Mazzulla had a rather unexpected tenor about the play. Rather than simply saying he was just thankful Tatum was alright before moving on, a seemingly dead-serious Mazzulla almost sounded thrilled that Tatum had an opportunity to … show his toughness after potentially getting seriously injured?
I don’t know, man. That’s the most charitable interpretation I could come up with. This whole below sequence is just so weird to hear from a professional head coach:
Joe Mazzulla on what he was thinking during the play Caleb Martin fouled Jayson Tatum:
The Celtics almost saw their season go up in flames with a vulnerable Tatum in mid-air, and Mazzulla stated he barely expressed any concern in the heat of the moment because he wanted to see Tatum’s response. C’mon now. We should be way past this kind of fake tough-guy attitude in professional sports.
“Fundamentally, great players can play with great players, and they’re not positionally similar,” Rockets GM Rafael Stone says of Jalen Green and Alperen Sengun.
With some exceptions, the peaks of third-year center Alperen Sengun and guard Jalen Green — both drafted in the NBA’s 2021 first round — generally came at different times for the Houston Rockets.
Sengun flourished over the first few months of the 2023-24 season, even making an All-Star push at midseason. Then, with Sengun sidelined by an ankle injury for the final month-plus of the season, Green nearly earned March Player of the Month honors.
There were occasional games of overlap where both were in peak form at the same time, and it’s worth noting that Green had already shown several games of improved play prior to Sengun’s March 10 injury. Yet, for the season as a whole, it’s a fair observation to say that both prospects were rarely at their best, simultaneously.
So, as Houston turns its focus to 2024-25, is that a concern as the Rockets (41-41) try to go from a .500 season to a winning team that earns a spot in the 2025 Western Conference postseason?
General manager Rafael Stone and head coach Ime Udoka are aware of the concern, but it doesn’t sound like they’re particularly alarmed or troubled. At Tuesday’s end-of-season media availability session with Houston reporters, here’s how Stone responded to a question of whether Sengun and Green are a good complement to each other:
One’s a guard, one’s a center. One of the guys I’ve worked with a long time has a saying that “Someone has gotta score.” The more shots you get, the more you’ll score. In that sense, Jalen benefitted from getting additional shots.
He started playing really good basketball prior to Alperen’s injury. His scoring tailed off a little bit at the end, but he really played some really good games at the end of the season where he didn’t score particularly well.
It’s about putting yourself in position for success. He made some big steps midseason that set him up that way. Fundamentally, great players can play with great players, and they’re not positionally similar.
The challenge that exist for us is not Jalen and Alperen. It’s Jalen, Alperen, Amen [Thompson], Tari [Eason], Jabari [Smith Jr.], Fred [VanVleet], Dillon [Brooks], and Cam [Whitmore]. We’re a team. Ime has to find a way to mesh everyone, but a lot of that is on them and the choices they make.
Every team, every year faces that challenge. Every year someone comes back and added to their game… and [the question is] how do you incorporate that. Or, they want to do more, and how do you incorporate that?
That’s the challenge in front of us. It’s a great one to have these talented young guys who are getting better and having more potential, but we’re cognizant it is a challenge.
Udoka then added his own perspective regarding Sengun and Green, who finished as Houston’s top-two scorers in average points per game during the 2023-24 season. Among his comments:
Jalen had more opportunity with Alperen out. They have contrasting styles. Early on, we leaned on Fred to get us into sets, initiate everything and get our turnovers down. Alpi being one of the top low post scorers, Jalen wasn’t gonna have the same opportunity as in the past.
Sometimes it comes down to making shots. With the ball in his hands, he goes on a hot streak. He was playing well before Alperen went down.
We’re looking forward to that combo meshing next year with more experience and understanding what we’re looking for from both of them.
It’s funny, they said the same thing about [Jayson] Tatum and [Jaylen] Brown. “Can they mesh together?” A lot of times, it’s the guys that every team would want. Everyone would want Jalen and Alpi on their team. I think it’s a no brainer that it can work, and we’ll see it going forward.
Udoka, of course, coached Tatum and Brown with the 2021-22 Boston Celtics, who advanced to the 2022 NBA Finals.
Complete video of Tuesday’s press conference is available below.
Blake Griffin, a generational athlete and former Oklahoma Sooner announced his retirement after a 14-year NBA career.
An Oklahoma basketball legend called it a career on Tuesday. Sooners basketball legend Blake Griffin announced his retirement in a post he shared via social media on Tuesday morning.
Griffin ended his NBA career after 14 years. The bulk of his career came as a member of the Los Angeles Clippers after he was drafted in 2009 as the first overall pick. He also spent time with the Detroit Pistons, Brooklyn Nets, and Boston Celtics.
Griffin retired as a six-time NBA All-Star, three-time All-NBA Second Team, two-time All-NBA Third Team, and the NBA Rookie of the Year in 2009.
As a high schooler from Oklahoma City, Griffin won multiple state championships. He signed with the Sooners and went on to earn selections on the Big 12 All-Rookie Team and to the first-team All-Big 12 after posting 14.7 points and 9.1 rebounds and ranking ninth in scoring, fourth in rebounding, and third in field goal percentage in the Big 12 Conference.
(2014) Chris Paul & Blake Griffin pulling this off on back-to-back plays is so disrespectful.
Instead of bolting for the impending NBA Draft, he stayed for one more year. He cemented his status as an Oklahoma basketball legend. During his sophomore season, he became the first player in Big 12 history to record back-to-back games of at least 20 points and 20 rebounds. He dropped 40 points and 23 rebounds against Texas Tech, becoming the only player in Big 12 history and the third player in the history of the University of Oklahoma men’s basketball program to record at least 40 points and 20 rebounds in a game, joining [autotag]Wayman Tisdale[/autotag] and [autotag]Alvan Adams[/autotag].
He led Oklahoma to a regional final that saw them lose to eventual national champion UNC. That year, Griffin averaged 22.7 points, 14.4 rebounds, and 2.3 assists per game during the regular season and earned All-American first team honors. He also swept every major player of the year award. He’s the only Sooner to win the Naismith Award, Oscar Robertson Trophy, Adolph Rupp Trophy, John Wooden Award, and the Associated Press Player of the Year in the same season.
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Good morning, Winners! Welcome back to the Morning Win. Thank you for rocking with us this morning. Happy Wednesday. I hope your week is going well.
Watching the Celtics and Bucks play last night was…such a weird experience.
Of course, Giannis Antetokounmpo’s calf injury threw everything off. Anytime you see a non-contact injury to anyone, your heart sinks into your stomach. There were fears that he’d torn his Achilles during the game, which Milwaukee apparently avoided here. Antetokounpo just has a strained calf, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski. What a relief.
But that injury wasn’t what made yesterday’s game so weird. It was the free throws — or a lack thereof.
The two best teams in the Eastern Conference combined for two (!!!) free throws in Tuesday’s game. Boston became the first time in league history to not shoot a free throw during a game, according to Yahoo! Sports’ NBA analyst Tom Haberstroh. Milwaukee only shot two and they came from Antetokounmpo.
You can explain this away a bit if you try hard enough. Boston is mostly a jump-shooting team — they don’t shoot many free throws per game as is. Milwaukee lost Antetokounmpo, who tends to draw most of the team’s fouls.
One of the major stories in the league has been how officials have essentially swallowed their whistles during the second half of the season. The NBA had a mid-season crackdown on foul hunting in silence, and these are the results.
But there’s something about this that I can’t shake. It’s strange to see two of the league’s premiere teams officiated this way with all the star power on both rosters.
Whether this is a good or bad thing is an interesting question. Of course, the games are quicker and fewer questionable fouls are called. The added physicality gives defenders some much-needed support. We can’t complain about that.
But this shadow protocol to officiate shooting fouls out of the game feels strange. There was no notice and teams had no adjustment period. That’s how we get games like this one where things are a little too unbelievable.
We’ll see how this works in the playoffs. That’s all that matters. Hopefully, it will make for better basketball in the end.
Happy Trails, Tara VanDerveer
(Photo by Abbie Parr/Getty Images)
One of the most fascinating things to come across my timeline today is this incredible quote from Tara VanDerveer when she left Ohio State for Stanford in 1985 after winning four consecutive Big Ten titles.
She was looking for a challenge.
“It’s probably hard for some people to understand when we’re doing so well, but it was a decision I had to make,” VanDerveer said at the time. “I felt I was becoming very one-dimensional. I feel very comfortable that I will be rewarded both personally and professionally. Stanford doesn’t have near the talent Ohio State has and the competition is not there yet, but I consider this to be the ultimate challenge.”
After 38 seasons, three championships, 14 Final Four appearances and 15 Pac-12 championships, VanDerveer is finally calling it a career. And what a glorious one it’s been. Her 1,216 wins are the most ever in NCAA basketball history. If there was ever a time to walk away, it’s now.
Congratulations on an incredible career, Tara. Happy trials.
Tiger Woods hasn’t won a major tournament since the 2019 Masters.
Doesn’t matter. If you put him on that green, we’ll all believe he can make something special happen even if we haven’t seen it in a while. It doesn’t matter how old he is. That’s still Tiger freakin’ Woods.
Tiger Woods has been through so many struggles at Augusta and beyond in the last year with his health.
But once again, he believes in himself, which makes sense. He’s Tiger Woods. That competitive streak is always going to be there.
The thing is: he’s being honest about his chances given all those injuries and aches. When asked if he could win on Tuesday while meeting with reporters, he had this to say: “If everything comes together, I think I can get one more.”
Would a lot have to go right? Absolutely. But it’s Tiger. I won’t stop believing until it’s time to stop believing. He won’t, either. I suggest you do the same.
Quick hits: Diana Taurasi’s beef with Caitlin Clark … The best 30-and-over players in the NFL … and more
A look at how former Vols performed in the NBA on Tuesday.
Two former Vols competed in the NBA on Tuesday, while four did not play.
Philadelphia defeated Detroit, 120-102, at Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
Tobias Harris started at forward for the 76ers. He totaled 15 points, 12 rebounds, four assists and one block in 28 minutes. Harris converted 6-of-13 field goal attempts and 3-of-4 free throw attempts.
Dallas defeated Charlotte, 130-104, at Spectrum Center in Charlotte, North Carolina.
Grant Williams started at center for the Hornets. He recorded 12 points, four assists and three rebounds in 32 minutes.
Milwaukee defeated Boston, 104-91, at Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Jaden Springer did not play due to a coach’s decision for the Celtics.
Miami defeated Atlanta, 117-111 in double overtime, at State Farm Arena in Atlanta, Georgia. Josh Richardson was inactive for the Heat.
Houston defeated Orlando, 118-106, at Toyota Center in Houston, Texas. Admiral Schofield was inactive for the Magic.
New York defeated Chicago, 128-117, at United Center in Chicago, Illinois. Julian Phillips was inactive for the Bulls.
Xavier Tillman hit a game winner for the Boston Celtics on Friday night!
On Friday night, the Boston Celtics and Sacramento Kings squared off inside of Boston’s TD Garden. It was a close game between the C’s and the Kings, but it was a former Spartan that proved to be the hero.
With just over 7 seconds remaining in the game, it was Xavier Tillman recovering a loose ball and hitting a floater to give the Celtics the 101-100 lead, a lead and basket that would prove to a winner.
Contact/Follow us @The SpartansWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Michigan State news, notes, and opinion. You can also follow Cory Linsner on Twitter @Cory_Linsner.
Rockets coach Ime Udoka pointed to Boston’s Jaylen Brown and former NBA player Corey Maggette as players that rookie Cam Whitmore reminds him of.
When Ime Udoka led the Boston Celtics to the 2022 NBA Finals, one of the best players on that team was All-Star guard Jaylen Brown. Now that Udoka is coaching the Houston Rockets, he sees one player among his 2023-24 rotation that shares some similarities.
When asked who explosive rookie scorer Cam Whitmore reminds him of, Udoka identified Brown and longtime NBA veteran Corey Maggette. Of course, Whitmore is clearly not at Brown’s level yet,
Here’s what Udoka said Thursday on “The Matt Thomas Show” via SportsTalk 790, the official flagship radio station of the Rockets:
There are a lot of similarities to someone I just had recently, Jaylen Brown. It’s funny, our whole coaching staff, a lot of us came from Boston and had coached Jaylen Brown. It’s very similar, as far as the way they play. But even how they think, and movements, and all that.
I’ll take it back a little bit to a guy I played against, Corey Maggette. He has some of that downhill physicality, and he has that at a young age, already. Similar as far as those two, but Jaylen Brown is the guy that we all see a lot of similarities with.
The complete interview segment can be listened to below.
Whitmore is averaging an impressive 12.2 points (46.3% FG, 36.5% on 3-pointers) and 3.8 rebounds in only 18.1 minutes per game this season. As the No. 20 draft pick from the 2023 first round, his role should only increase as the games and years progress.
Full injury report for Wednesday’s Thunder vs. Celtics matchup.
The Oklahoma City Thunder wrap up a grueling road back-to-back when they take on the Boston Celtics on Wednesday. It’s the second matchup of the season between the two squads.
The Thunder (52-23) will try to pull off the upset without their two best players. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (quad contusion) and Jalen Williams (ankle sprain) are out.
Ousmane Dieng, Lindy Waters III, Keyontae Johnson, Olivier Sarr and Adam Flagler are all in the G League.
Meanwhile, the Celtics (59-16) could be without one of their top two players. Jaylen Brown (hand sprain) is questionable. Outside of him though, Boston remains relatively healthy.
Jaden Springer (knee tendinopathy) is questionable. Jordan Walsh, JD Davison, Drew Peterson and Neemias Queta are on G League assignments.
The Celtics are cruising the to the end of the regular season; they have first place in the Eastern Conference and the top seed playoffs already clinched. They collected a double-digit win over the Charlotte Hornets on Monday to wrap up a six-game road trip.
With March Madness in full swing, you may have seen a funny AT&T commercial that showcases Kendrick Perkins, Carmelo Anthony, and TJ Ford, players from the 2003 NBA Draft. In partnership with AT&T, Perk took some time out of his hectic schedule to …
With March Madness in full swing, you may have seen a funny AT&T commercial that showcases Kendrick Perkins, Carmelo Anthony, and TJ Ford, players from the 2003 NBA Draft. In partnership with AT&T, Perk took some time out of his hectic schedule to talk with HoopsHype about a wide range of topics including the brewing sport betting scandals, Draymond Green, Boston Celtics, and more.
